


Snufkin's First Love

by cherrypetal



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jealousy, Mentions of Death, Pining, snufkin is a simp, there might be smut later !
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:15:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25696399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrypetal/pseuds/cherrypetal
Summary: Snufkin is a few weeks late in coming back to Moominvalley for the spring. He's excited to see his friends again, but what he isn't prepared for is to meet who he thinks is the love of his life.or:There's a new resident in Moominvalley. Snufkin falls for her. Hard.
Relationships: Snusmumriken | Snufkin/Reader
Comments: 17
Kudos: 82





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello! first fanfic here, idk where this is headed but i hope you guys enjoy! not canon-compliant at times

The first time Snufkin had seen you was when he was taking a walk in the woods located in the peaceful Moominvalley. He had just returned to the peaceful village, as spring had arrived once more. He’d arrived back a tad bit later than he had meant to. He hadn’t dropped by Moomin’s place yet, as he hadn’t finished unpacking all his stuff yet. He only desired to walk through the beautiful, lush forest as he did the previous springtime- last time he was here.

He wandered through the woods aimlessly, breathing in the fresh morning air. He felt the crisp grass crunch under his shoes as he walked without a specific destination. He heard the birds chirping, truly confirming that spring was here. He heard the soft sound of water trickling as he looked to see the river. He sat along the edge of the river as he peacefully thought about his friends here at Moominvalley. 

He wondered how Moomin was. Had he made any more new friends? Had Little My grown any taller since the many months he had been in Moominvalley? He wondered if Snorkmaiden had finally succeeded in gaining Moomin’s affections as she always had attempted to. As he got lost in his thoughts, he heard the sound of a beautiful voice humming.

Surprised, he jolted as he looked around frantically, searching for where such a pleasant sound could be coming from. It was odd, as he was in the middle of a forest. Who else could be here so early in the morning? As his eyes darted right to left, he spotted a little cabin near the trees on the other side of the river. Perplexed, he raised one of his eyebrows. Had that cabin always been there? He was pretty sure that no one else lived this deep into the forest other than that cursed fiend, Stinky.  
As he stood there frozen, he eyes focused on the figure with the beautiful voice. You seemed to be preoccupied, sweeping the soft pathway, ridding dead plants away from your small cottage. He heard your soft humming and was immediately intrigued. He had never seen you around before. Maybe you were a new resident? He wanted to cross over the river and talk to you badly, but decided against it. He believed the two of you would cross paths soon enough. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he walk back to where he had left all his belongings. He would unpack and visit the Moomins first.


	2. Chapter 2

The lively chatter that surrounded him comforted Snufkin. Although he enjoyed his solitude, he had grown to miss the warm company of the Moomins. It was the sole reason why he continued to return every year to this place. As he sipped on the sweet raspberry juice Moominmamma had poured him, he chuckled quietly as he listened to Moomin talk excitedly about Snork’s newest invention. 

“So, that’s why I saw so many cut up carrots on the way to your house, huh?” Snufkin wondered.

“Yep! Snorkmaiden told me he’s working on something that would make it easier for Mamma to cut vegetables! He’s almost done with it too! We’re all very excited,” Moomin spoke with joy.

As they continued to converse, Snufkin’s mind wandered back to this morning when he had seen you. He still had to ask Moomin about it.

“Hey, Moomin?”

“What is it, Snufkin?”

“I was walking through the forest today, and I saw a cabin I’d never seen before. Do you know who lives there?”

Moomin thought for a moment as he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

“Cabin…?”

Sudden recognition flashed across his face as he realized what Snufkin was talking about.

“Oh yeah! That’s right, you came late this spring! That’s Miss (y/n)’s house! She moved here a few weeks ago. I’ve only spoken to her a few times, but she’s really nice! You should go meet her sometime,” Moomin explained cheerfully.

“I see…”

Snufkin then thanked Moominmamma for the drink and snacks and bade farewell to the Moomins. He then walked back to where he had set up his tent. He shuffled through his belongings as he looked for his infamous harmonica. He quickly found it, and sat outside. As he layed down on the soft grass, he looked up into the sky and wondered whether he should introduce himself to you or not. Snufkin was not one to be shy. However, he surprisingly found himself afraid to go up to you and introduce himself. He decided he would just relax and maybe go fishing the rest of today, and talk to you tomorrow, when he could gather up more courage to do so.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin finally has the balls to talk to reader

The next day, Snufkin found himself wandering around the forest once again. Albeit this time, he had a goal in mind, which was to talk to you. Based on memory, he clumsily traversed through the forest of lush greens and soft grass. He made sure to cross the river at some point and there it was- your cozy cabin. He gulped and stood there thinking. Should he just go for it and knock on your door? Should he wait around until you come out yourself? As he thought about all his options, he noticed that the house was oddly quiet. Maybe you weren’t home? Snufkin felt an odd wave of both disappointment and relief sweep through him at this observation. Perhaps he’d come back another time. Yes, that’s exactly what he was going to do. Come back another day, and properly introduce himself. 

He pursed his lips as he started to walk further into the forest. Again, he found himself lost in random thoughts until he heard that wonderful humming again. Recognizing the sweet melody as your voice, he perked his ears as he tried to trace the source of that sound.

After a few moments of aimless trotting, he finally spotted you lying against a tree, a book in your hand. Quickly hiding behind a nearby tree, he felt his heartbeat accelerate. How odd! Why on earth was he so nervous about this! Just go over and say hi, Snufkin! He placed his hand over his wildly beating heart as he took deep breaths. He finally emerged from his hiding place as he quickly walked over to you. 

Then he tripped. Loudly.

With a thump, he tripped over his own feet, catching your attention.  
You jumped, scared by the loud sound. You turned to see a figure clad in a worn out green hat lying on the floor. Worried, you set your book down and crawled over slowly to the figure.

Meanwhile, Snufkin could not stand to get up, he was extremely embarrassed. How could he be so clumsy? This wasn’t like him at all! He wanted to curse and cry out at the skies, but he couldn’t risk humiliating himself even further so he just laid there, blood rushing to his cheeks, painting them pink.

“Hey…Are you alright?” 

Oh God, your voice was so gentle and heavenly, Snufkin thought he would melt.

“Yes.” He answered a bit too quickly.

“Would you like some help getting up?” 

“No, it’s alright,” Snufkin said as he got on his knees and began to stand. As he dusted his clothes off in embarrassment, he felt your eyes on him. Once he finally managed to get the grass off of his pants, he finally made eye contact with you. You didn’t say a word as you gazed intently at him. Snufkin never felt so self-conscious. Why weren’t you saying anything? He awkwardly looked around as he fiddled with his harmonica in his pocket.

“Uh…” He started.

“My God, you are so beautiful,” you interrupted him.

What.

“Huh?” Snufkin dumbly said, confused.

“I said you’re beautiful,” you stated as you walked closer to him. Your (color) eyes bored into his deep brown eyes, mesmerized.

“Goodness, I’ve never seen such dreamy eyes before,” you muttered in awe as you softly placed a hand over his cheek. You stared into his face affectionately.  
Snufkin was so shaken he didn’t know what to say. His goal had been to say hi and introduce himself, but he found himself at a completely different predicament. This wonderful stranger who had intrigued him from the start was calling him beautiful? His heart thumped in anticipation as he felt his cheeks grow hot once more. He felt your soft hand caress his face lovingly, a touch so foreign to him, it had him at a loss.

“Uh..Thank you..” Snufkin finally choked out a reply.

You smiled at him brightly and removed your hand from his face.

“So who are ya?”

“I’m Snufkin,” he stated.

“Snufkin?”

The sound of his name coming out of your mouth had his heart racing. He felt his palms get sweaty as he shoved them once more into his pockets.

“Yeah, what’s your name?”

You happily introduced yourself to him. You asked him if he would like to come in for some coffee. You wanted to converse with him, after all you hadn’t gotten many visitors in the short time you had moved to Moominvalley. Snufkin was obviously more than delighted to, as he walked into your small cabin.  
-  
A few hours had passed, and you had learned many things about Snufkin. You learned that he was a traveler, someone who looked for adventures. You also learned that he was a wonderful harmonica player, as he played you a few comforting songs. He was wonderful. The two of you got along immediately. In the short moment you’d talked to him, you felt like you had known him your entire life. You wondered if Snufkin felt the same. Regardless, you were just glad you had made a friend. Other than Stinky, you had only met the other residents of Moominvalley maybe once or twice, and had yet to establish a friendship with them.

As the sky turned pink and the sun began to set, Snufkin realized how long he had been in your house. Feeling like he had overstayed your welcome, he got up and told you he was going to head back to his tent. You thought you saw longing in his dark eyes, but maybe it was just your imagination. You told him goodbye as he left your cabin.   
Snufkin walked out the door and inhaled the cool evening air deeply. He had such a great time talking to you that he hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. You radiated such great warmth, he couldn’t help but be drawn to you. This was different than what he felt around Moomin and his other friends. He felt dizzy from all the overwhelming emotions he felt churning inside of him. As he made his way back, he replayed the earlier conversations in his head. He couldn’t wait to see you again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> snufkin is sh-shy uwu


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You discuss what it means to be free with Snufkin

A few weeks had passed since Snufkin’s first “official” meeting with you. He visited you nearly every day, and as such, the two of you grew close. Within a couple of weeks, Snufkin had grown very comfortable with you as did you with him. He learned that you were an inquisitive soul. You were from a faraway land he had never heard of. You were a human - a type of species he had heard of but knew nothing of. Maybe humans were similar to mumriks and mymbles? You sure looked a lot more like him than you did Moomins and Snorks. He learned that you had been through quite a lot in the past. You somehow kept a strong, positive outlook on life through it all, and he admired that.

The more he conversed with you, the more he found himself captivated by you. It seemed like you were wise; wiser than he would have ever assumed based on your youthful appearance. The two of you often met up at your place and debated vast topics over a cup of warm tea. Snufkin never really got the chance to have conversations of the intellectual sort with his other friends. It was a nice contrast. Every word that came out of your mouth piqued his interest. He didn’t think he would ever find such a compatible person to talk to, but here you were. 

One particular day, Snufkin was telling you about his travels. He told you about the wonderful things he’d seen, as well as the struggles he had been through. It was fascinating. As you listened to his tales of experience, you couldn’t help but ask why he chose to travel so far every year. Sure, the knowledge and cool things he saw might have been worth it, but wouldn’t he rather stay in Moominvalley with everyone else where peace exists? 

“As much as I love my friends here in Moominvalley, freedom is something I yearn. I enjoy the solitude that comes along with my journeys,” he answered.

This made you stop talking and think for a moment. As a child, you had always been taught that solitude was to be avoided. Friends and family needed to stick together. Being alone meant you were an outcast, unlovable. Snufkin, however, was telling you he enjoyed this loneliness? How was that possible? You needed to hear more about what he had to say.

“I don’t understand, Snufkin. How can solitude be something you enjoy? Would you not rather spend your time being with the ones you love?”

“I think there are lessons that everyone can learn from spending time alone, (y/n). I learn something new about the world, and about myself, on these lonesome journeys. I don’t want to be bound to one place my whole life. I want to be free like the wind, like the clouds. Attaching myself to worldly possessions and whatnot is my worst fear. I would rather die than lose the freedom to do as I please.”

You nodded your head slowly. You somewhat understood what he was saying, but you still couldn’t fathom why he felt the need to leave every year and then bother to come back in spring. 

“What do you constitute as being ‘free’ then, Snufkin? Are you not free here in Moominvalley to do as you please?”

“I believe freedom is different to everyone. Freedom? Personal liberties? Are they the same? Who knows? The definition of freedom varies person to person. Freedom acts as an emotion, a value, and at times, it can even constitute as a physical form.”

Snufkin continued, “Do you think a bird in a cage is free? At first glance, the obvious answer is probably no. Why would a bird want to be encaged?”

You continued to listen as you drank your tea. The hot liquid burned your throat.

“Well, think of it this way. Let’s say the bird is injured and the owner is taking care of its wounds while it’s living in the cage. Once it’s fully healed, the bird is free to fly back into nature. However, what if the bird refuses to leave the person who healed its wounds? It’s technically ‘free’ to go. It has the physical freedom; it’s not bound by the metal bars of a cage. Despite this, it chooses to manifest its freedom in the form of staying with the one who healed it. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yeah I guess so. That still doesn’t explain why you leave and bother coming back though.”

“I come back knowing that I will always have the same freedom to leave whenever I desire. The lonely times I spend out of Moominvalley, the long periods of isolation I experience, that only makes the warmth and peace I can only find here so much more worth coming back to. I love both aspects of what I can feel.”

“I can’t find seclusion in Moominvalley, but I find the comfort of being surrounded by the ones who love me here. Likewise, I can’t experience the melancholy pleasures of being by myself if I stay in Moominvalley all the time. I just want to do what I want, whenever I want. And for the time being, what I want is to spend my spring and summers here in Moominvalley and to travel south during the winter.”

You hummed. You understood.

“I suppose if you put it that way, I can see why you do things the way you do,” you replied curtly.

Snufkin’s dark eyes bore into yours. You couldn’t quite identify the emotion you saw swirling in those deep depths of brown. 

He smiled. 

“I’m glad you understand.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bruv i have no idea what im writing about we're just~ going with the flow~٩꒰ ˘ ³˘꒱۶~♡


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snufkin learns about the reader's past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning: death, mentions of death

Your little cottage was filled with items that you cherished. The shelves on the walls were decorated with little trinkets your friends from your hometown had gifted you before your departure. Small, silly drawings and handmade cards from the children you used to tutor hung snug on your small refrigerator. Books about nature, gardening, and philosophy adorned your wooden bookshelves. 

From the many times Snufkin had visited your home, he had noticed that a light scent of lavender surrounded your cottage. It relaxed him. He felt safe when he was around you.  
Another thing Snufkin noticed was the absurd amount of photos you had pinned up on the walls of your small cottage. There were so many that he couldn’t find the time to look at them all despite having spent hours at your house. You even had separate photo albums to keep even more of your photographs! Snufkin never knew it was possible to take this many photos in a lifetime. 

As you hummed a familiar tune in the kitchen, Snufkin sat on your couch near the wall and observed some of the pictures you had put up. There were ones of you and a group of people who he assumed were your friends. As his eyes skimmed through the many faces of strangers, his eyes locked onto a specific photograph.

It was a picture of you and an unfamiliar man huddled tight. Your smile was dazzling; it was clear you were having a great time the moment this picture was taken. The man next to you was looking at you with soft eyes. Snufkin assumed this person was probably someone more than a friend. A past lover, perhaps? He couldn’t help but feel a sudden rush of envy overcome him. Would he ever be able to make you smile like that? He wondered why he was feeling this way as his lips tightened. 

You came out of the kitchen with a plate of two sandwiches. You set the plate down on the table and noticed Snufkin had moved to the couch.

“Heya Snuf! I’m done making lunch! What are ya looking at?”

You walked towards him and turned your vision to match what Snufkin was observing.

“You sure have a lot of photographs on the wall, (y/n),” Snufkin chortled.

You giggled in response.

“Yeah I do! I cherish every single one of these. I can recall the days all of these were taken!”

“Hm? Really? Who are these people in this picture?”

Snufkin pointed at a snapshot of you and three others at what seemed to be a park.

“Oh, these are my friends! I grew up in the same neighborhood as them but had to move when I was seven. This was when we all met up a few years back as a reunion! It was so much fun,” you explained gleefully. 

Snufkin’s lips curled into a warm smile at seeing your happy mood. He then pointed at the picture of you and the unknown man.

“What about this?”

Your eyes grew solemn once you saw which picture he pointed at.

“That’s a picture of me and my friend from last year.”

Snufkin internally realized he had unlocked an unhappy memory for you and felt regret seeping in his veins. He also felt subconscious relief to know that this person wasn’t your lover. Despite this, curiosity bit at his tongue as he wanted to hear more.

“Friend?”

“Yep, he used to be my closest friend.”

“Used to?”

“He passed away.”

Oh.

_Oh._  
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” Snufkin immediately said. Guilt clawed at his heart. 

You turned to him with a painful smile. 

“It’s fine Snufkin. Honestly, I don’t even know why I put that up. I should probably take that picture down,” you babbled.

“Are you okay?” Snufkin asked, concern lacing his hushed voice.

“Yeah, I’m alright. I’ve accepted he’s gone. It’s just- I feel like- I feel like I’m forgetting him and _betraying_ him if I remove the pictures I have of him, you know? It hurts looking at him every day, knowing he’ll never come back. He just looks so… _alive_ in these photos, you feel me?”

Snufkin didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t know why he did it. We all said it was crazy, but he insisted he would go in the burning building to save his friend. He ran in so quickly, I couldn’t tell him to be careful or anything. I was powerless, I couldn’t stop him.”

Snufkin silently took your hands in his.

You felt hot tears welling up in your eyes but they didn’t fall. 

“He was so close to coming back out safely, he carried his friend on his back. But just as he took a step, the building it- it crashed and the flames- the flames were so big and bright and it just swallowed him up,” your voice cracked.

Snufkin did not say a word. His eyes were dark and focused. His grip on your hands tightened as he stared at you intently.

“I don’t know what was more horrifying. The fact that I witnessed my best friend die or the fact that I had no chance to say goodbye to him. I couldn’t eat or sleep for months. He appeared in all of my dreams. He still does sometimes.”

You paused and looked at the picture sadly. You took a deep breath.

“It’s alright now though. I think. I know he’s gone and I can’t change that. It took a while for me to recover from this though. Death is a terrible thing, Snufkin. Losing someone really changes you. I couldn’t see anything the same for a while. I couldn’t go to my favorite restaurant because all I would see were the memories I shared with him when he was still here. It hurt so bad. I had to get out of there.”

“I understand,” Snufkin said.

“I spent a lot of time by myself. I shut out my friends and family. I was alone. And it was horrible. Maybe that’s why I wasn’t able to understand why you enjoy solitude, Snuf. We just have different experiences,” you continued.

“I don’t think I’ll ever truly stop missing him. But I did realize I have to get up and get my life back together eventually, you know? If he were alive, he wouldn’t want to see me moping around in a dark room all day. I think part of that is why I moved around searching for a new place to live. I wanted a fresh start, away from all that gloomy depression.”

You traced your fingers through the photographs on your wall. 

“It’s funny how I say that when I’m so attached to these pictures, huh?”

Snufkin shook his head.

“No, I think it’s fine, (y/n). It’s an admirable thing to know your origin- where you come from. It’s a valuable thing to cherish the experiences you have. It’s something that you can’t forget. It’s what makes you, you.”

You leaned your head forward, burying your face in Snufkin’s chest. You didn’t reply. Snufkin felt the fabric of his green coat grow damp. You were crying.

Snufkin placed his hand on your back and rubbed soothing circles. He felt you shake in his arms. His heart ached for you.

“Hey, it’ll be alright (y/n),” he whispered softly, so soft that it had tickled your ear.

“I hope so.”

You felt your sorrow decrease by the comforting touch Snufkin was offering you. Snufkin’s tender touches and softspoken words soothed you to no end. You wondered if you deserved this. Regardless, you were grateful.

As Snufkin held you in an embrace, you cried. You cried because of the painful recollection of past memories. You cried because you missed your dear friend. And you cried because Snufkin was kind. You didn’t want to lose him the way you had lost your closest friend.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm honestly not good at writing sad scenes so im sorry if this part sounded awkward or unnatural! Poor reader, at least Snufkin is there to comfort her (｡•́︿•̀｡)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a lighthearted chapter!

You had known Snufkin for about a month now, and needless to say, he was a great friend! He was always there for you and you learned so much whenever you spoke with him. His presence was comforting, and you couldn’t wish for a better person to be around. 

In spite of this, as the newest resident of Moominvalley, you couldn’t help but wish to properly meet the others dwelling in this peaceful valley. You had only spoken with Moomintroll twice, and even then, the conversation was extremely brief. You didn’t know anything about him! 

And this was why you decided to go down the forest and visit the Moomintrolls. Holding a basket of sweet pastries you had baked, you scampered off to their towering house. Taking in the breathtaking flowery fields, you sighed happily. You couldn’t get enough of Moominvalley’s beautiful scenery! It was splendid, green nature sprawled out everywhere as far as you could see. You truly felt like you were in paradise.

Feeling great, you skipped to the Moomins’ house and knocked on their door. To your surprise, a little girl dressed in a red dress opened the door.

“Hello!” you chirped out.

“Hi, who are you?” she asked.

“I’m (y/n)! I’ve come here to say hi to everyone,” you happily said.

The little girl blinked for a moment. Then she called out to someone named “Moominmamma” about a lady who came to see them.

A few moments later, a figure emerged from the back. You assumed this was Moominmamma. She was wearing an apron and held a purse. Her green eyes glittered in warmth and kindness. You were immediately drawn to her.

“Hello, I’m (y/n), I live up in the forest! I’m sorry I haven’t come down to introduce myself earlier..It’s been a hassle trying to unpack everything and settle down,” you said bashfully, rubbing the back of your neck with your free hand.

A gentle smile adorned Moominmamma’s kind face. 

“My what a pretty girl you are, (y/n)! Welcome to Moominvalley! You’re welcome to come on in!”

Your heart melted at her words. 

“Thank you, Moominmamma,” you said as you entered the house.

Going in, you immediately felt multiple pairs of eyes on you. Inside, you recognized Moomin himself, a girl who looked just like Moomin but with hair, and a…kangaroo? They quizzically stared at your form until the kangaroo-like creature spoke up.

“Mamma who’s this?”

“Dear, this is (y/n), she says she’s moved to Moominvalley and lives in the forest. Make sure to give her a warm welcome.”

Feeling a bit awkward, you set your basket down on the table, and waved at the three figures. 

“Hi guys.”

“Hi (y/n)! I’ve only talked to you once, but it’s nice to meet you again!” Moomin cheerfully said.

You grinned and turned to look at the girl and Moomin’s other friend.

“Hi guys, what are your names?”

“I’m Snorkmaiden, Moomin’s friend,” the girl answered, playing with her tail.

Her shyness was adorable. She reminded you of one of the girls you used to tutor back in your hometown.

“I’m Sniff! I like napping and doing nothing!” the kangaroo creature spoke.

You laughed, well he was relatable for sure!

“Ahem.” A little voice piped up.

Looking down, you saw the little girl who opened the door for you earlier. 

“I’m Little My,” she said with an impish smile. She stretched her hand upwards, offering you a handshake.

You shook her small hand and smiled.

“Nice to meet you all! Would you like some pastries? I baked them this morning so they should still be warm.”

Snorkmaiden perked up and suggested you all go eat outside since the weather was nice. Moomin and Sniff seemed to second this idea as they dragged you out to the fields of Moominvalley. 

The five of you sat under a large tree and dug into the pastries. The warm rays of the sun made you feel sleepy as you listened to the lively chatter of Moomin and his friends. You had finished eating and was about to doze off when you heard your name being mentioned.

“So is (y/n) who Snufkin has been ditching us for?” Little My wondered out loud while looking at you with a mischievous glint in her eyes. 

Your eyes widened at this.

“Huh?!”

“I think Snufkin has a crush on youuuu~” Little My giggled.

“Aw come on, don’t tease her like that My!” Moomin scolded.

Little My just laughed in response. 

“How did you know Snufkin has been visiting me?” you asked, genuinely curious.

“We’ve seen him walk to the forest countless times! Every day! Why else would he go into the forest that often, hmmm?” Sniff joined in, wiggling his eyebrows. 

Snorkmaiden simply rested her head on her hands as she sighed dramatically.

“Ahh, that’s so romantic, visiting the girl you love every day! I didn’t know Snufkin had this side to him!” She said dreamily.

You felt your face burn as you felt yourself blush. 

“It isn’t like that I promise! Snufkin and I are just friends, I swear. He’s really sweet and fun to talk to, that’s it!” 

“Suuuuure~” Little My drew out again.

“I’m telling you, that’s not it!” you felt your face grow even hotter. 

You didn’t even know why you were getting so flustered over simple teasing. Surely Snufkin only saw you as a friend as well?

“Really, (y/n)? Do you truly not feel anything for Snufkin that way?” Snorkmaiden asked, tilting her head.

“No, but I think he’s a great friend! And he’s super smart, he knows a lot about the world that I don’t! I always have so much fun when he comes over. He’s just a friend to me, nothing more.” 

“Hm, if you say so,” Moomin said. 

The topic of the conversation changed quickly to some new present Little My’s older sister got her from her way back. You found yourself extremely relaxed, and yet again, began to doze off. 

Unbeknownst to you, Snufkin had been passing by and heard what you said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels so weird writing snorkmaiden instead of floren jdsskjh the japanese voice acting is great, i cant get over how cute their voices are,,,,


	7. Chapter 7

Snufkin had been walking back to his tent after catching some fish at the sea. It had been a good day, his bucket was filled with more than enough fish for him to eat. Maybe he’d give some to Moominpappa as a gift.

With an uncharacteristic bounce in his steps, Snufkin followed his usual route to the bridge where his tent was set up. He passed by Moomin’s house and spotted his friends lying on the grass underneath a large tree. Snufkin’s eyes widened when he saw you with them. 

_“I guess (y/n) finally met them, huh,”_ he thought to himself.

He continued to walk by them until he was close enough to hear what Moomin and his friends were talking about. 

“Really, (y/n)? Do you truly not feel anything for Snufkin that way?” he heard Snorkmaiden ask you.

Snufkin froze.

“No, but I think he’s a great friend! And he’s super smart, he knows a lot about the world that I don’t! I always have so much fun when he comes over. He’s just a friend to me, nothing more.” 

**He’s just a friend to me, nothing more.**

Snufkin felt a sudden numbness fill him. He felt like he was in the void. Bitter disappointment filled his system as he quickly regained his composure and walked away from there with quick, hurried steps.

_He’s just a friend to me, nothing more._

As his pace slowed back down, he started thinking about what you said. Why did it upset him so much? What you said wasn’t wrong. You and he were just friends. 

He arrived at his tent. He set his bucket down and took a seat on the grass. 

Snufkin was trying to figure out why he felt so bothered by what he had heard. He didn’t know what he was feeling at the moment. What can you even call this emotion?

Ever since he had laid his eyes on you the first day he came back to Moominvalley, it was undeniable that he was drawn to you. He had noted that you were a naturally charismatic person. Your overtly friendly personality made it easy for others to trust you. He genuinely enjoyed the conversations the two of you shared and he was eager to learn more about you every day. 

As he began to grow closer to you, he couldn’t help but notice small things like the way your eyes seemed to brighten when you talked about things you were passionate about, or how adorable it was to see you concentrating while watering your plants. He noticed how pretty you looked when you smiled. Oh that dazzling smile. It sent a shiver up his spine.  
God, you were perfect. 

_He’s just a friend to me, nothing more._

The words he heard you say so clearly echoed in his head once more. Hearing you say that had awakened something in him. He didn’t like it. He felt his heart ache at the thought of you offering that beautiful smile to someone else. Was it selfish of him to be so attached to someone like this? This was bizarre. Everything he was feeling at the moment was so incredibly bizarre. 

Snufkin had lived his whole life uncaring for any sort of attachment. Maybe Moomin was an exception; he was his best friend after all. Regardless, Snufkin didn’t want to lose his free spirit by getting too attached to someone. He feared that he would lose his sense of self by doing so. Snufkin had based his identity; his selfhood, on being someone who enjoys being alone. He had never actively desired someone else’s company the way he desired yours. 

Snufkin pulled at his hat and groaned.

He had never been so overwhelmed by emotions.

What did he even want at this point? Was he content with being your friend? He really thought he was. But if that truly was the case, it didn’t make sense why he felt so bothered by what he had heard earlier. 

His thoughts drifted into daydreams. How would he act the next time he saw you? Maybe he could bring you some flowers. He figured you liked lavender since your house smelled like it. Maybe some small daisies too. He would go pick them in a bit and go see you. He couldn’t wait to see the cute smile blossom on your pretty face. Maybe you’d be so happy you would kiss hi-

It was then that Snufkin realized. 

All these fluttering feelings he’d been experiencing, the way his heart throbbed with affection whenever he saw you, the way you seemed to have snuck your way into his everyday thoughts…

He’d fallen for you hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tfw u realize ur crushing hard


End file.
